Telegram, a well-known competitor of WhatsApp and other instant messaging applications such as Signal, Line, WeChat, etc. is very well-known and very popular, both for better and for worse; for better, you want for the groups and channels that always allow you to stay updated on your passions, but also for worse, because unfortunately the controversies that the platform has had for having hosted (often without the knowledge of most), content that is not exactly in good taste are well-known.
However, in a major reversal of its policy, the popular messaging app Telegram has announced That will provide users’ IP addresses and phone numbers to authorities in response to valid legal requests, in an effort to curb criminal activity on the platform.
Telegram: What Changes With the New Policy
“We have clarified that the IP addresses and phone numbers of those who violate our rules may be disclosed to the appropriate authorities in response to valid legal requests.“, Telegram CEO Pavel Durov said in a post.
If you don’t have Telegram, Pavel Durov’s statement translated reads like this:
Telegram search is more powerful than other messaging apps because it allows users to find public channels and bots. Unfortunately, this feature has been abused by people who have violated our Terms of Service to sell illegal goods.
Over the past few weeks, a dedicated team of moderators, using artificial intelligence, has made Telegram search much safer. All problematic content we’ve identified in search is no longer accessible. If you still find anything unsafe or illegal in Telegram search, please report it to us via @SearchReport.
To further discourage criminals from abusing Telegram search, we’ve updated our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy, ensuring they are consistent across the globe. We’ve clarified that the IP addresses and phone numbers of those who violate our rules may be disclosed to the appropriate authorities in response to valid legal requests.
These measures should deter criminals. Telegram search is designed to find friends and discover news, not to promote illegal goods. We will not allow bad people to compromise the integrity of our platform for nearly a billion users.
In this regard, the company now explicitly states: “If Telegram receives a valid order from the competent judicial authorities confirming that you are a suspect in a case involving criminal activity that violates Telegram’s Terms of Service, We will conduct a legal analysis of the request and may disclose your IP address and telephone number to the relevant authorities..”
Such data disclosures, it said, will be included in its periodic transparency reports, and it also noted that the service may collect metadata such as IP addresses, devices and Telegram apps used, as well as username change history, to address spam, abuse and other violations.
It is worth noting that an earlier version of its policy applied only to terrorism suspects: “If Telegram receives a court order confirming that you are a suspected terrorist, we may disclose your IP address and phone number to the appropriate authorities.“
The update to Telegram’s Terms of Service and Privacy Policy represents a major shift for the company, which for years refused to monitor the platform, turning it into a haven for cybercrime and other illegal activities, including drug trafficking, child pornography, and money laundering.
Does Pavel Durov’s arrest in France have anything to do with it? It certainly seems so!
The changes were also influenced by Durov’s arrest in France, accused of turning a blind eye to various crimes that were thriving unchecked on the platform; He was later released on bail, but was ordered to remain in the country pending ongoing investigations.
Last week, the Ukrainian government announced the Telegram ban for government officialsmilitary personnel and other defense and critical infrastructure workers, citing national security concerns.
A slap in the face for those who were looking for a platform free (at least in part) from politics and more
The change of direction of the Telegram platform will certainly be discussed in the coming weeks, because those who felt “safe” (for better or worse) using it, now he will either delete the platform from his phone, or in the best case scenario he will keep it and move on to other more “free” ones.
How the myth of “ fellUbuntu is safe for privacy“, unfortunately the famous myth of “ has also fallenTelegram does not sell your data to anyone and keeps your data safe“.
While it is true that Telegram has often been associated with malicious activity within the platform, the question that needs to be asked is: Will this policy really allow for the arrest of criminals such as child pornography or other, or will it be used as an excuse?
I think many Telegram fans have already asked themselves this question.
What will you do? Do you already use it or have you stopped using it or never used it at all?
#Telegram #Share #User #Data #Crime #Investigations
